Alden Keefe Sampson

After learning to work with large datasets at software technology companies Crashlytics, Twitter, and Drift, Alden (along with his colleague Marshall) founded Upstream to distill satellite and ground data into information conservationists use to grow their operations.

Today Upstream helps The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation work with farmers to reduce water use, revitalizing rivers and fisheries. The Nature Conservancy uses Upstream’s systems to monitor migratory bird habitats across California. And its neural networks are scanning vast regions to identify locations for river friendly hydropower generation.

Upstream was acquired by Natel Energy, where it will operate as an independent unit with ample funding to grow its team and broaden its impact.